Trump calls for ‘seditious’ Democrats to face death penalty after they urged troops to ignore unlawful orders
Mr Trump blasted the legislators as “seditious” after they posted videos to social media telling troops they made a Constitutional Oath allowing them to refuse taking unspecified illegal commands.
He said the group of senators and representatives, who are all veterans, are “traitors to our country” and demanded they be “arrested and put on trial.”
Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social network: “Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???”
In another post, he wrote that their “behavior” is “punishable by DEATH.”
The Democratic lawmakers warned in a video on social media that members of the military and intelligence community face “threats to our Constitution” that are coming “from right here at home”.
In the clip, they also tell military members that the “laws are clear” and repeatedly say: “You can refuse illegal orders.”
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The Democrats are referencing Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, a set of laws which the US’ military must follow. It states that service members are only required to obey “any lawful general order or regulation”.
It comes as critics accuse the Trump administration of a blatant disregard for the country’s laws and its constitution – with the US President accused of abusing his power by doing away with laws he disagrees with.
Another group of Democrats, including House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, has since hit out at Mr Trump’s “dangerous” remarks.
They said in a statement: “Political violence has no place in America. Representatives Jason Crow, Chris DeLuzio, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan and Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin all served our country with tremendous patriotism and distinction.
“We unequivocally condemn Donald Trump’s disgusting and dangerous death threats against Members of Congress and call on House Republicans to forcefully do the same.”
Mr Trump has also faced backlash from California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.
He wrote on X: “The President of the United States of America just called for the death of Democratic lawmakers. This man is sick in the head.”
The president’s spokesperson Karoline Leavitt has hit back saying people only want to talk about the president’s response, and not what he was responding to.
She told reporters during a press briefing on Thursday: “You have sitting members of the United States congress who conspired together to orchestrate a video message to members of the United States military, to active duty service members, to members of the nation security apparatus, encouraging them to defy the president’s lawful orders.
“The sanctity of our military rests on the chain of command. And, if that chain of command is broken it can lead to people getting killed, it can lead to chaos. And that’s what these members of congress who swore an oath to abide by the constitution are essentially encouraging.”
